The present invention relates to a portable device for assisting in teaching a proper golf swing.
An ideal golf swing comprises five important elements: proper alignment of the body, a shifting of weight to the right foot in the backswing, maintaining a still head with eyes fixed upon the ball, a shifting of weight to the left foot at the start of the downswing, and clearance of hips to the left prior to impact. These five elements, when practiced together, enhance the effectiveness of a user's golf swing much more than when one or several of the elements are omitted.
Golf training devices are known to assist in improving the swing. Prior art devices in this field address one or several of the above elements, or address different elements. Prior art devices most commonly have operated by teaching a limited number of elements, with the expectation that improvement of other elements not addressed by a particular device will follow. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,051 to Cross trains a user to adopt and maintain a proper head position during execution of a golf swing. Although a golfer may have perfected his or her swing, and only seeks help with positioning his or her head, because the apparatus addresses only the head, the integrity of the other elements of the swing may be adversely affected.
A golfer who trains on only one element is likely to master that one element to the detriment of others. As a consequence of the limited utility of the prior art devices, a golfer who wishes to improve his or her performance on all desired elements must train on several different machines, all addressed to one or two elements.
Some prior art devices which comprise rigid guides do not accurately simulate playing conditions, where no guides are present. For example, Lopez U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,800 describes a device to be worn around a golfer's waist. A golfer who does not swing a golf club correctly, while wearing the device, will abruptly hit the golf swing guide with his or her elbow and will not be able to complete the swing without severe interference from the guide with his or her elbow. U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,733 to Cavanaugh shows a body "cage" which will touch the golfer's body if he or she unduly sways while taking a swing. The device also comprises a trough-type track from which the ball is hit. If hit improperly, the golfer's club strikes the walls of the trough. A golfer may become dependent on such aids and be unable to perform well in their absence.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,738 to Fava discloses a device comprising a guide rail for directing the movement of a golf club in a predetermined swing plane. The device emits a rhythmic tone which corresponds to the movement of the golf club. A golfer that utilizes that device may become dependent on the guide rail and audio signal and be unable to duplicate a proper swing on the golf course.
Further, the training devices of the prior art offer no feedback other than interference by a part of the device during an improper swing. The user is left to guess what he or she did improperly, and attempt to correct it. There is no way to quantify the amount of error.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,138,388 to Herold shows a device which coordinates shoulder and hip movement during a downswing. The ratchet-operated device comprises bars which rest on the golfer's shoulders and buttocks. When, during a downswing, the golfer's shoulders improperly pivot before the hips, the bar resting on the shoulders locks, warning of the impending improper swing. The golfer has no way of knowing exactly what he or she did incorrectly, and as a result, has no way of knowing exactly what to adjust in order to perfect the swing. Operating the device properly, such that the shoulder rest does not lock, is a process of trial and error.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,135 to Gentile discloses a means for developing correct positioning only of the head and feet of a golfer, comprising foot markings and a padded knob which rests against the head. The device addresses only these isolated body parts and provides a rough guide, rather than feedback means, for a proper swing.